Obedience 1

Children did you know the Bible tells parents to
train their children? Parents are to teach their children God’s laws. Teaching
them God’s word and about Jesus is what God wants parents to do. Deuteronomy
32:46b - 47a says: Command your children tobe careful to observe all the words
of the law. For it is not a futile thing for you because it is your life… This
means God wants parents to train their children to obey, love and serve God
because their life depends on it. God will give the parents a long blessed life
if they obey God and teach their children to obey God. When parents do a good job teaching their children, then their children
will teach their children and those will teach their children and so on.

Let’s say there is a family with the last name of Giraffe.
Mr. and Mrs. Giraffe, silly name right? But
let’s suppose they love God and want to obey Him. So they read their Bibles,
pray and attend church. They have made a relationship with Jesus Christ, trusting in what He did on the cross, for their way to heaven.

One day, they have twin sons. They want their twins
to grow up to love and serve God. So they teach them about who God is and His
commandments. Commandments are rules of dos and don’ts set up by God for our
good and protection. The twins are taught Bible stories like David and Goliath,
Daniel and the Lion’s den, Noah and the world flood, Hannah praying for Samuel,
Jonah and the giant fish, Paul and Silas singing in jail, to name a few. The
most important real life story they tell them is of Jesus being born, growing
up, and later dying on the cross for their sin.

Mr. and Mrs. Giraffe had read verses in the Bible
like: Prov. 22:6 Train up a child in the
way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it. Prov.23:13NIV Do not withhold correction from a child for if you punish him with a
rod he will not die. This means God wants parents to discipline their
children even spanking them or using other punishment to train them to obey.
Parents and Grandparents are instructed to teach the children the ways of the
Lord.

Mr. and Mrs. Giraffe really liked the verse in Deut.
6:7 You shall teach them diligently to
your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk
by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. Mr and Mrs. Giraffe
knew this meant they needed to teach their children all the time about the
Lord and what His word the Bible says. They wanted the twins to grow up to love
the Lord and serve Him. Mr. and Mrs. Giraffe did exactly that.

As the years went by the twins grew older and older.
They learned Bible truths from their parents and teachers at Church. Soon the
twins got married and had children of their own. They also did what their
parents had done. They taught their children about God and the Bible truths. Then
their children also taught their children and so on until there were hundreds
of families named Giraffe who loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him all
because two parents did what God commanded; teach your children.

So boys and girls, when your parents are teaching
you about the Lord they are obeying the Lord. When they teach you to obey they
are obeying the Lord. Parents obey the Lord by teaching you to obey the Lord.
For you see, the bible says in Eph. 6:1-3 Children
obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honor your father and mother
which is the first commandment with promise that it may be well with you and
you may live long on the earth. There is that promise again, if you obey
you will live a long life.

Boys and Girls remember to obey your parents and
therefore you are obeying the Lord. Also, the next time you get into trouble
for not obeying your parents, remember your parents are obeying the Lord when
they teach you to obey and that includes punishment.

Try to memorize Eph. 6:1 Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Some of
you may already know it so pick another verse I told you about in our lesson. I
hope you can say it without any help by my next lesson.